A dozen ways to evaluate a loudspeaker

Use the scales below to capture and remember your
impressions of different loudspeakers.

Consciously or unconsciously we evaluate a loudspeaker
against the memory bank of sounds we have heard. These may have come, for
example, from another speaker in another room, or from a symphony concert we
attended a few weeks ago. So, be aware of what you use as reference when you
mark the different scales of perception.

A more fundamental evaluation of the complete
recording-to-loudspeaker-to-room-to-listener system is given on the Accurate
Stereo page. It too requires some familiarity and awareness of the
characteristics of unamplified acoustic instrument sounds you have heard.

Why is it that we usually recognize a sound as coming from
a loudspeaker rather than live, even when around the corner, in another room, or
far away?

It might be helpful to also use these 12 scales when you
focus your attention on the sound of an un-amplified human voice, the sound of a
small acoustic band, the sound of a large choir, a large orchestra, cars driving
by, foot steps on the pavement, the crushing of a coke can, etc. Build up your
memory bank of live sounds, for it is these that should be the goal of a true
high fidelity loudspeaker.

Determine the ranking of the speakers on continuous
scales from +5 to -5. Mark their place on each scale with X.

Loudspeaker A

+5

0

-5

1

Clarity/Articulation/Speed

Very detailed

Very veiled

2

Instantaneous volume
range

Like live

Compressed

3

Spaciousness/Openness

Airy

Boxy

4

Size of virtual sound
images

Pin point

Diffuse

5

Width & Height of
sound stage

Wide

Narrow

6

Depth of sound stage

Deep

Shallow

7

Treble in proportion to
midrange

Bright

Dull

8

Treble quality

Soft

Hard

9

Bass in proportion to
midrange

Overblown

Thin

10

Bass quality

Tight / Articulate

Loose / Boomy

11

Accuracy/Fidelity

Revealing

Euphonic

12

Emotional involvement

Lost in the music

Wanting to leave

+5

0

-5

Loudspeaker B

+5

0

-5

1

Clarity/Articulation/Speed

Very detailed

Very veiled

2

Instantaneous volume
range

Like live

Compressed

3

Spaciousness/Openness

Airy

Boxy

4

Size of virtual sound
images

Pin point

Diffuse

5

Width & Height of
sound stage

Wide

Narrow

6

Depth of sound stage

Deep

Shallow

7

Treble in proportion to
midrange

Bright

Dull

8

Treble quality

Soft

Hard

9

Bass in proportion to
midrange

Overblown

Thin

10

Bass quality

Tight / Articulate

Loose / Boomy

11

Accuracy/Fidelity

Revealing

Euphonic

12

Emotional involvement

Lost in the music

Wanting to leave

+5

0

-5

Loudspeaker C

+5

0

-5

1

Clarity/Articulation/Speed

Very detailed

Very veiled

2

Instantaneous volume
range

Like live

Compressed

3

Spaciousness/Openness

Airy

Boxy

4

Size of virtual sound
images

Pin point

Diffuse

5

Width & Height of
sound stage

Wide

Narrow

6

Depth of sound stage

Deep

Shallow

7

Treble in proportion to
midrange

Bright

Dull

8

Treble quality

Soft

Hard

9

Bass in proportion to
midrange

Overblown

Thin

10

Bass quality

Tight / Articulate

Loose / Boomy

11

Accuracy/Fidelity

Revealing

Euphonic

12

Emotional involvement

Lost in the music

Wanting to leave

+5

0

-5

Since you will be using recorded sounds, they should come
from acoustic sources that you are familiar with, and not from synthesizers or
amplified instruments and voices that are commonly processed electronically in
some unknown fashion. I have found it most revealing to choose from the
following categories:

A

Symphonic music

1-12

B

Jazz band

1-12

C

Large mixed chorus

1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12

D

Small female group of singers

1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 12

E

Small male group of singers

1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12

F

Percussion set

1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 12

G

Organ

2, 7, 9, 10, 12

H

Single voice + string bass + piano

1, 4, 8, 10, 12

For future reference write down the actual recordings that
you used. Even within the suggested categories of music there are so many
unknown factors that have affected what was actually stored onto CD that it is
very important to never judge a speaker by just a single CD. At minimum I would
listen to 6 carefully chosen excerpts from different CDs. And remember, the
ultimate limit is the recording!

I now sell a Demo CD
with recordings that I did myself. The sound tracks can provide severe and
revealing tests for accuracy of reproduction. I have used the material to
evaluate and demonstrate the capabilities of the ORION
.

Have fun as you search for your perfect loudspeaker !

Caution:
It is almost impossible not to hear what you think you are going to hear. This
phenomenon has spawned a whole industry that is eager to sell you illusion
enhancers. There are plenty of takers and believers. There are many
collaborators in this game since the profit margins
are extraordinarily high for both manufacturer and distributor .

What you hear is not the air pressure
variation in itself
but what has drawn your attention
in the streams of superimposed air
pressure variations
at your eardrums

An
acoustic event has dimensions of Time, Tone, Loudness and Space
Have they been recorded and rendered sensibly?